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Pass the SALT—more lit. lore

Something is missing from the dusty archives of Swarthmore’s alternative publications. Eli Epstein-Deutsch’s story in the April 2012 Bulletin reviewed many “earnest and edgy” magazines, but one short-lived experiment from the 1970s escaped notice. SALT appeared on campus only twice but seems noteworthy for its dedication to strengthening the College through investigative journalism.
The first issue [...]

Barr Interview Stirs Reflections

The January interview with Bob Barr led me to reflect on interactions at Swarthmore that proved to be pivotal in my life. The first was with Gilmore Stott, who asked in my admissions interview, “So what books have you been reading lately?” This question and the ensuing discussion led as much as anything to my [...]

Article on Engineering/Ceramics Student Resonated

I enjoyed the April issue of the Bulletin more than usual. It may be because the cover article is about an engineering student who does ceramics. I was that guy in 1963. I learned pottery from other students at Swarthmore but never took a course in it. I still do ceramics and have a wheel, [...]

African sojourn Moves Many

Congratulations to my classmate Clinton Etheridge and to the editorial staff of the magazine on a very moving article about his family’s recent visit to West Africa and the photos of his Peace Corps days over there.
In the late 1960s, I had the opportunity to spend three months in Cote d’Ivoire on a student-exchange program [...]

Article’s Animal-Fur Orientation was Disconcerting

It was with great chagrin that I read the January issue of the Bulletin containing the article about Joseph Altuzarra ’05—not because I think the Bulletin, or Swatties, should not be interested in fashion; I am, and I happily admit it. However, it was quite disconcerting to read about Altuzzara’s seemingly heavy reliance on animal [...]

Guard Against Political Polarization

I enjoy receiving your magazine and being part of the Swarthmore community, through my son Preston ’15. One of the great benefits of a liberal arts environment is that it forces one to think new thoughts, or at least to be confronted with ideas that may differ from those you feel most comfortable with.
I found [...]

A Great Connection

Clinton Etheridge’s “What is Africa to Me?” in the January 2012 Bulletin is a remarkable example of the transformative power of the Peace Corps experience combined with a Swarthmore education.
In Clinton’s family pilgrimage back to the Gambia that he served in 40 years ago, he rediscovers, despite what Thomas Wolfe writes, you can always go [...]

Making Swarthmore Better
One Issue at a Time

I’d like to raise a toast to Jeff Lott, who steps down in January as editor of the Swarthmore College Bulletin after more than 21 years of service. Under his leadership, this magazine has matured with alumni and with the College, keeping us informed and interconnected.
I’ll never forget the day, 14 years ago, when my [...]

Aristotelian Wisdom: Virtue for the Have-Nots

In an excerpt from their book Practical Wisdom (“The Janitor and the Judge,” April Bulletin), Barry Schwartz and Kenneth Sharpe seek to deepen our understanding of ethical choice in contemporary life by combining examples, the social actors’ own reflections, and Aristotelian philosophy. What they actually offer, however, is a warmed-over version of a 19th-century ethic, [...]

Name That Professorship

I just finished a pretty thorough reading of the April Bulletin. I enjoy the magazine very much, but something caught my eye.
In the introduction to the article “The Janitor and the Judge,” which explains the concept of “practical wisdom”—the subject of a new book by political science professor Kenneth Sharpe and psychology professor Barry Schwartz—the [...]